So, the choice is made, suitcases are packed, and mentally you are already among the palm trees on the shore of the Mediterranean (or maybe the Red or Dead) Sea. There will be time for rest, but first - study. What do you need for a successful start? First, find out the requirements and benefits for applicants. (The age criterion for those entering the preparatory department is up to 23 years old at the time of starting studies.) It would not be superfluous to contact the Student Affairs Administration - this is a joint department of the Ministry of Absorption and the Jewish Agency, which provides assistance to new immigrants who want to obtain an education in Israel. Knowledge of the support provided by the Administration will also come in handy. Assistance includes payment for studies at a university or college (up to three years); partial payment for an English language course; provision of information and consultations on study-related issues; auxiliary classes for new immigrants; psychological consultations; cultural events, excursions, seminars, exhibitions. They will also help you choose a study program and, if necessary, provide a loan.
But there are also specific requirements for those wishing to receive assistance from the Administration. The candidate must have the status of a new immigrant and have a matriculation certificate (bagrut) that allows admission to a university or college. Academic studies must be started within the first 36 months from the date of receiving the status and completed within 7.5 years from the date of receiving the status. Service in the Israel Defense Forces is not included in these periods.
If nothing bothers you yet, you can proceed to examine Israel's education system, for the sake of which you are going to subject yourself to such severe educational torments. Israeli youth acquire knowledge at universities, regional academic colleges, university branches, academic colleges and institutes, technological, sports, medical and pedagogical colleges, art colleges, tourism and hotel management colleges, etc. Suppose you have already roughly decided what you will suffer for. But a little useful information about some cities of Israel may change your choice.
Jerusalem, for example, is a very religious city, and this means that on Shabbat (Friday evening - Saturday) not only transport and shops do not work, but also no entertainment venues. So you will have to get to your destination on foot, or hitch a ride in a passing car (fortunately, non-religious residents of Jerusalem do violate Shabbat on this day). But you can walk to the Western Wall, visit the Jaffa Gate, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and ascend to Golgotha. And if you are not an atheist, these holy places will not leave you indifferent.
But if you have not yet saved up for a personal car, you are afraid to hitchhike, and you don't feel like sitting at home or wandering around the city - perhaps it would be better for you to study and live in Haifa, which is sharply different from other cities of Israel. First of all, it is a city of workers - that is what it is called in Israel. Moreover, it is the only city in the country where public transport runs on Saturdays, and many entertainment venues are also open (by the way, here and in Tel Aviv there are the most night discos). In addition, Haifa is also a student city. Besides the young university (founded in 1963), Haifa has a polytechnic institute called the Technion. So if your soul craves not only knowledge but also entertainment - your direct path is to Haifa.
It should be remembered that climatic conditions in different cities of Israel differ significantly, each city is at a different distance from the sea. And the sea itself is not everywhere. Therefore, if you brought with you a mask, fins, scuba gear and a lot of other underwater equipment - Tel Aviv is just right for you. So choose, remembering the Israeli proverb: “Jerusalem prays, Haifa walks, Tel Aviv rests.”
You have taken all the nuances into account, the educational institution is chosen. Now the question arises: where to live during your studies? The Student Affairs Administration provides a dormitory for students at the mechina (preparatory department) or in the first year of the university. It is also possible to live in dormitories and absorption centers of the Jewish Agency. But most likely, you will have to rent an apartment, which is quite widely practiced in the West, or sit a little on the neck of relatives, if you have any.
By the way, a student immigrant who is in Israel without parents has the right to receive financial assistance from the state (in the amount of 250 shekels per month) for renting an apartment. The student bears all other expenses independently. If there are no wealthy relatives - you will have to roll up your sleeves and work a little. After all, you will pay not only for housing, but also for enrollment in the educational institution, for the preparatory department and entrance exams, registration for the psychometric test, textbooks, use of the library, dormitory accommodation, etc. But if your chosen educational institution charges tuition fees that exceed the nationwide standard, students in need of financial assistance have the opportunity to take a loan from a special fund.
Our people are not accustomed to living in debt, as is accepted almost everywhere abroad, and therefore most future students go to Israel in advance, before the start of the academic year, in order to manage, if not to earn some extra money, then at least to find a source of more or less permanent income. But it is not only the search for a job that attracts the “early birds” - those who are more assertive begin to learn the language and, with a trembling hand, write out the first Hebrew letters from right to left.
There are dozens of ulpans in Israel for learning Hebrew. Students are recommended to study under one of the specialized academic programs that include Hebrew at the university level. The Aleph ulpan (elementary) usually lasts five months. Let us get acquainted with some student ulpans where our students suffer the torments of enlightenment. Student ulpans at the kibbutzim Ein Harod and Beit HaShita open in August-September and February-March. A specific feature of studying at kibbutz ulpans is that study is combined with work. The ulpan for the Taka program begins in September-October and February-March. The ulpan for the Sapir program starts in June and December. The summer university ulpan lasts 6-8 weeks and begins in July-August. For applicants accepted to a higher education institution for a regular program, the Student Authority pays for the summer university ulpan (students studying in the mechina automatically start their studies with the summer ulpan).
If all the above has not scared you away, and you are still firmly confident that you will pursue knowledge in Israel, let us talk about the specifics of your studies. In particular, about the psychometric test and the mechina. The psychometric test determines the student's ability to study at an institution of higher education. Knowledge is tested in three areas: verbal reasoning, mathematics, Hebrew and English. A certain level of language proficiency is a condition for admission to the university, since all study literature is written either in Hebrew or English. But if you have a perfect command of French, Spanish, Arabic, or Russian (not counting Hebrew and English), you can take this exam in any of these languages. (Naturally, 99% of our applicants choose Russian.)
New immigrants who have a high school diploma obtained abroad must also successfully complete the preparatory department (mechina), which is a condition for admission to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Haifa University, the Technion, and some teacher training colleges. At other universities and colleges, completion of the mechina is usually not a condition for admission, but such study increases the chances of admission to the institution.
But immigrants from the CIS are out of luck here as well - the mechina threatens them anyway, because our high school diplomas do not meet the requirements of the Israeli Ministry of Education. However, exemption from study in the preparatory department may be granted to holders of a high school diploma equivalent to the Israeli bagrut, and to students who have completed at least one year at a non-Israeli university recognized by the Ministry of Education of that country, and who have provided an academic transcript indicating the subjects studied and grades received. If you are among the chosen ones, do not rush to rejoice; rather, check the possibility of exemption from the preparatory department at the specific institution. If you are indeed lucky, then perhaps for your studies you will choose the Sapir program, intended for students who received their high school diploma abroad and are interested in continuing their education at Israeli universities or colleges.
The Sapir program is conducted at Sapir College in the Negev, located between Ashkelon and Beersheba. Students live in the Ibim student center. The program consists of two stages. The first is the Aleph ulpan, the second is an extended curriculum (each lasting 4 months). The second stage includes an intensive Hebrew course, English, mathematics, fundamentals of research work, or an elective academic course.
Or perhaps the Taka program might suit you better, also intended for students who do not necessarily need to study at the mechina. This program is conducted at two colleges: Ashkelon College, which provides students with accommodation at the Kalanit Absorption Center, and Emek Yezreel College - here young people live at the absorption center of the city of Nazareth Illit. Taka also consists of two stages: the Aleph ulpan and an academic preparatory program. Each stage lasts five months. Taka opens twice a year at both colleges - in September-October and February-March. It includes studying Hebrew, English, mathematics, an introduction to computers, and a selected academic course. Taka students have a unique opportunity to receive consultation on career selection; only one thing may confuse you - the consultation is paid for by the student himself.
But if your dad is not a Rockefeller, you did not study abroad, and you have no benefits - the 'mechina torments' will begin for you. And no matter which track you choose (and there are four - humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and exact sciences), your suffering will last 8-11 months, 35-40 hours per week. And you will shed tears while intensively studying Hebrew, English, mathematics, the history of Israel, as well as courses in accordance with your chosen track. Usually, mechina studies begin in July-August and continue throughout the academic year. The mechina at the Technion, Haifa University, and Bar-Ilan University begins twice a year: in June and February.
So, if all these horrors and impending torments have not instilled even a drop of timidity in your soul - you are evidently truly one of those who have to overcome not only studying abroad, but also to comprehend life across the border. That means it is precisely for you that we give useful advice. Before making a decision about studying in Israel, consult with a representative of the Student Authority.
Check whether the Authority pays for the educational institution or specific faculty that interests you.
Prepare a folder with documents on previous education, identity card, new immigrant certificate, foreign passport, letter of registration and admission to an Israeli educational institution, and military ID.
Translate the documents into Hebrew or English and have them notarized.
To increase your chances of admission, apply to several universities at once.
Start studying Hebrew and English as early as possible, even before departure, since you won't be able to avoid it anyway.
Now then, go for it! A bright and scorching future lies before you. Universitot Israeliet awaits you!